HA to recruit 150 tenants

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A housing association is to recruit 150 of its tenants as apprentices over the next three years.

West Bromwich-based Accord Group, which manages 11,000 homes across the Midlands, will take on its own residents as part of wider plans to help them into work and expand its range of care services.

Open to all Accord Group tenants and their family members, the programme consists of a six-week pre-apprenticeship course and a 12-month paid apprenticeship.

Everyone who completes an apprenticeship will be offered paid work in services ranging from caring for older people and those with learning disabilities, to working with young people.

Unemployment is above the national average in the region.

Sara Naylor-Wild, Accord's assistant director of care and support, said: “Care is changing and over the next three years we want to increase the range of services that we offer to allow people to reach their full potential, which will mean that we will need more people to deliver them.

“We want residents to be at the forefront of this, which is why we have created a programme that trains people who may not have the experience of working in care, but have the right attitude and a real willingness to learn.

“Many of our residents are going to be affected by the changes to benefits, such as the Bedroom Tax, and this is just one way that we helping them get ready and into work.”